Murder in the convent — a forensics adventure

October 19th, 2012 | Lauren Simms

I’ve never been a fan of horror movies. Why pay money to see something that would give you outrageous nightmares, right? In 6th grade, I watched The Village and yes, I had nightmares … for like, three weeks.

There are two types of forensics: one that deals with speech, drama and oral interpretation; and one that deals with the bloody-murder-stuff you see on CSI. Since I basically faint at the sight of blood, I’m going to go ahead and state the obvious — I’m in the communication-type forensics.

This is my first semester to complete with the Evangel University Forensics team. Last weekend, we traveled to our first tournament held in Neosho, Missouri, at Crowder College. I performed a Dramatic Duo Interpretation, titled The Courtyard, with Bethany Thomas.

Together we very dramatically (hence the name) portrayed and told the story of two nuns in early Austria. I, Sister Annalise, had to tell Bethany, Mother Superior, that there had been a murder in the convent. And, in a forensic-y turn of events, Mother Superior was the murderer (insert “AHHH!”).

I began with singing “Ava Maria” (not Beyoncé’s version either — think early 1900’s), and Mother Superior ended with singing it. Creepy, huh? We placed in the semi-finals and both received a trophy. Better yet, almost all of the Evangel students placed and received trophies. On the way home, we smiled, laughed and had a big “Go Evangel” moment.

Lauren Simms

Communication Studies Major | Class of 2013

Lauren, a Communication Studies major, is a commuter student from Springfield, Missouri. She is a work-study for Marketing Enrollment, a member of a START team, and an EU Student Host. She encourages students to study hard, get involved and enjoy every minute.

About Evangel

Evangel is an accredited, liberal arts university with more than 100 academic programs on the cutting edge of today's professional fields. Our commitment to the integration of faith, learning and life attracts students from a wide variety of Christian denominational backgrounds who have a strong commitment to academics with a desire to combine their Christian faith with every aspect of their lives.